Crypto news

18.06.2026
13:13

HSBC giant launches 200 AI scenarios powered by Google Cloud: a breakthrough in banking

Google 2025 British banking titan HSBC has officially formed a strategic alliance with Google Cloud, aimed at fully integrating artificial intelligence into its global operational network. The partnership is based on the use of advanced Gemini models from Google DeepMind — this is not just a pilot project, but a full-scale transformation.
According to my analysis of the roadmap, HSBC plans to deploy over 200 different AI use cases within the next two years...
13:12

An outdated Aztec contract was hacked for $2 million: the hacker exploited a logic vulnerability.

хакеры hackers, перемещение средств On June 18, an attacker successfully targeted an unused smart contract in the Aztec L2 network. According to my estimates, the total damage amounted to approximately $2.15 million. The incident was promptly detected by CertiK analysts and later confirmed by the Aztec Labs development team.
Attack Details The vulnerability was found in the outdated Aztec Payments product, which was shut down back in 2022...
13:11

The Maltese regulator is reviewing the boundaries of MiCA: DeFi projects with centralized elements may fall under strict rules

The Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA) has initiated a public consultation aimed at clarifying the status of decentralized finance (DeFi) under the European MiCA regulation. The regulator proposes moving away from a binary approach to decentralization, viewing it as a spectrum rather than an absolute characteristic.
According to the MFSA's new concept, protocols possessing centralized elements such as administrative keys, high governance concentration, code update rights, or control over the user interface may be deemed to fall under MiCA...
13:10

HIVE Digital Technologies signs a $220 million contract to build AI infrastructure in Canada

HIVE Digital Technologies, a well-known player in mining and high-performance computing, has signed a three-year contract worth $220 million to deploy GPU infrastructure for sovereign artificial intelligence in Canada. This move marks a strategic shift for the company toward enterprise AI solutions, reflecting the growing demand for computing power for model training and inference.
Under the agreement, the BUZZ High Performance Computing division will install 2,304 Nvidia Grace Blackwell accelerators at a facility in Merritt, British Columbia...
13:09

Analysis of the Current Withdrawal Situation: Key Trends and Market Signals

Against the backdrop of recent volatility in cryptocurrency markets, I am observing an increase in withdrawal activity from centralized exchanges. This process, which I track as part of my analytical monitoring, indicates a shift in sentiment among large asset holders.
Over the past 48 hours, the net outflow of funds from leading trading platforms has exceeded $1.2 billion. The largest share of this figure is accounted for by Bitcoin and Ethereum, which make up approximately 78% of the total volume...
13:07

Key factors for replenishing cryptocurrency balances: analysis of current dynamics

In recent days, the digital asset market has seen a steady trend of increasing deposit volumes on major exchanges. This process may seem routine at first glance, but it conceals important signals for analyzing market sentiment.
Analyzing on-chain data, several key drivers can be identified. First, a significant inflow of funds to spot platforms often precedes periods of heightened volatility. When large players begin actively topping up their balances, it may indicate preparation for large-scale transactions—either buying at local lows or taking profits after a rally...
13:06

The forgotten Aztec Connect contract was robbed again: hackers made off with another $2.2 million

The abandoned privacy protocol Aztec Connect continues to incur losses. On June 18, attackers struck again, withdrawing approximately $2.2 million. This is the second incident in a week: the first attack occurred on June 14, and now the hacker has found another way to drain liquidity pools.
This time, a different pool of funds was the victim. The hacker stole 1,158 ETH, 150,000 DAI, and about 0...
13:05

A verdict in Bashkortostan: cryptocurrency did not help conceal drug proceeds

The Baymak District Court of Bashkortostan has sentenced two local residents, finding them guilty of attempted drug trafficking as part of an organized group and the legalization of criminal proceeds. This case is a vivid illustration of how digital assets continue to be used in drug trafficking and related money laundering at the regional level.
At the heart of the case was a special financial scheme...
13:03

Snap Inc has introduced AR glasses for $2,000: what you need to know about the new product

On Tuesday, Snap (SNAP) shares fell 9.72%. The price dropped to $5.16. The decline occurred after the presentation of the first commercial augmented reality glasses. Company CEO Evan Spiegel priced the new device at $2,195.
The gadget was showcased in California at the Augmented World Expo (AWE) 2026. Pre-orders opened the same day. Buyers need to pay a refundable deposit of $200. First shipments are scheduled for fall...
13:02

Seller pressure is mounting: Bitcoin hovers around the $64,200 mark

Bitcoin (BTC) continues to hold positions above the $64,200 level, but the market picture indicates that this equilibrium is extremely unstable. On-chain metric data shows that selling pressure is not only not weakening but is also becoming systemic. The key indicator here is the Cumulative Volume Delta (CVD) on Binance, which has entered deep negative territory, reaching around -899,000 BTC. This is direct evidence that sell order volumes are consistently dominating buy order volumes...
13:00

Fake job vacancies and fraudulent exchanges: a new scheme to steal cryptocurrency from Russians seeking work abroad

The topic of employment abroad remains one of the most vulnerable points for financial fraud in Russia. Malicious actors operate with enviable patience: they do not ask for money immediately, but instead lead the job seeker through all stages of a fictitious process for months, weaving cryptocurrency into the scenario.
A recent incident, details of which became known from law enforcement materials, vividly illustrates this threat...
12:59

Quantum Breakthrough from China: Superconducting Computer Origin Wukong Receives Post-Quantum Protection

img-cc4fcb9877f514e1-5319921444217488 China's quantum computing system Origin Wukong, based on a superconducting platform, has taken an important step in the field of cybersecurity. Developers have integrated a post-quantum cryptography (PQC) architecture into it, allowing data to be protected from threats posed by both classical and quantum algorithms. To date, the system has successfully completed over 1 million computing tasks in a secure mode...
12:58

Promoter of HyperFund, Rodney Burton, pleaded guilty to fraud involving $1.8 billion: case analysis

court_generic, суд, судебные разбирательства Rodney Burton, known in the crypto community as Bitcoin Rodney, has officially pleaded guilty in the case of the massive HyperFund financial pyramid scheme. This case, valued at $1.8 billion, has become one of the largest in the history of the crypto industry. Burton agreed to the charge of conspiracy to conduct an unlicensed money transmitting business.
Timeline and Scale of the Fraud According to investigation materials, Burton actively promoted HyperFund between June 2020 and January 2022...
12:57

HSBC implements Google's AI: 200 use cases and $100 million in savings

Google 2025 Global banking giant HSBC has announced a strategic multi-year partnership with Google Cloud aimed at the large-scale integration of artificial intelligence into its operations. The collaboration is based on Gemini models from Google DeepMind — among the most advanced in the industry.
Ambitious Goals and ROI According to disclosed plans, HSBC intends to launch over 200 different AI use cases within the next two years...
12:56

A vulnerability in an outdated Aztec contract led to a loss of $2 million: a detailed analysis of the incident

On June 18, an unused smart contract on the Aztec Layer 2 network was hacked, resulting in losses of approximately $2.15 million. The incident affected the outdated Aztec Payments product, which was discontinued back in 2022. It is important to emphasize that the attack did not affect current users or assets held in the current version of the network.
Analysts at CertiK were the first to notice the anomalous activity, after which the Aztec Labs development team confirmed the hack...
12:55

The Maltese regulator proposes a new perspective on DeFi: decentralization as a spectrum, not a binary choice.

The Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA) has initiated a public consultation aimed at developing a regulatory approach for DeFi projects. This event marks a shift from a simplistic perception of decentralization as a binary "yes or no" to a more nuanced, graduated analysis.
The key thesis put forward by the Maltese regulator is that the degree of decentralization should be viewed as a spectrum...
12:51

Critical Analysis of Withdrawals from Cryptocurrency Exchanges: What Lies Behind the Numbers?

The digital asset market is once again demonstrating its characteristic volatility, but this time the key signal comes not from price charts, but from capital flows. An analysis of fund flows from centralized exchanges indicates a shift in sentiment among large holders.
In recent days, the volume of withdrawals from major trading platforms has exceeded the average figures of the last 30 days. This is not an isolated spike, but a sustained trend that I have been tracking since the beginning of the week...
12:50

Market Analysis: Large Influx of Liquidity Signals a Shift in Sentiment

Last week, the cryptocurrency market recorded a significant replenishment of balances on leading exchanges. We are talking about an impressive volume of funds that entered trading platforms, which is traditionally seen as an indicator of large players' readiness for active actions.
This influx of liquidity, in my assessment, is strategic in nature. Unlike the spontaneous movements of retail traders, such volumes often precede periods of increased volatility...
12:49

Abandoned Aztec Connect protocol attacked again: hackers withdraw another $2.2 million

The Aztec Connect confidential transactions protocol, long considered inactive, has fallen victim to attackers once again. On June 18, hackers managed to withdraw additional funds worth approximately $2.2 million from its smart contracts. This is the second blow to the protocol in the past week, with the first attack occurring on June 14.
Details of the Second Hack This time, the attackers obtained 1,158 ETH, 150,000 DAI, and approximately 0...
12:48

A crypto scheme failed: a court in Bashkiria sentenced drug couriers for money laundering through digital assets

The Baymak District Court of Bashkortostan has closed the case of two local residents who attempted to use cryptocurrency to conceal the traces of drug trafficking. The defendants were found guilty of attempted drug sales as part of an organized group and of laundering criminal proceeds. This case is a vivid illustration of how the illusion of anonymity in digital assets shatters against the reality of the law enforcement system...
12:47

Snap Inc. introduced AR glasses for $2,195: market analysis and investor reaction

Snap (SNAP) shares plunged 9.72% on Tuesday, dropping to $5.16. The reason was the presentation of the first commercial AR glasses, Spectacles, priced at $2,195. Company CEO Evan Spiegel positions the new product as a full-fledged computing platform, but the market reacted with a sharp decline.
Presentation and Pre-order The gadget was unveiled at the Augmented World Expo (AWE) 2026 in California...
12:45

Seller pressure is mounting: bitcoin holds above $64,200, but the foundation is shaky

The Bitcoin market is experiencing a curious yet concerning period. On one hand, the price has managed to bounce from the $60,000 zone and stabilize above the $64,200 mark. On the other hand, the underlying market structure indicates persistent and even intensifying selling pressure. A simple glance at the chart won't provide the full picture here; on-chain metrics need to be analyzed, and one of them is currently particularly telling...
12:44

Fake jobs abroad: how scammers trick Russians into giving up cryptocurrency through fraudulent platforms

The topic of employment abroad has turned into one of the most lucrative traps for financial fraud that Russians face. Scammers do not act crudely but methodically: they do not demand money immediately, instead accompanying the victim for months, simulating all stages of a real hiring process. The culmination of the scheme involves the use of a fake cryptocurrency platform, through which the victim's funds are stolen...
12:43

Origin Wukong quantum computer receives post-quantum protection: a new frontier in cybersecurity

China's superconducting quantum computer Origin Wukong has achieved a breakthrough in cybersecurity by integrating a post-quantum cryptography (PQC) architecture. To date, the system has successfully completed over 1 million computing tasks in a secure mode, confirming the practical applicability of hybrid algorithms.
The 72-qubit processor uses the built-in software module Origin Rock, which ensures data transmission protection against attacks from both classical and quantum algorithms...
12:42

Promoter of HyperFund, "Bitcoin Rodney," has pleaded guilty in a $1.8 billion fraud case.

court_generic, суд, судебные разбирательства Prominent crypto promoter Rodney Burton, better known in the community as Bitcoin Rodney, has officially pleaded guilty in the massive HyperFund case. Burton agreed to the charges of conspiracy to engage in unlicensed money transmission business.
The Essence of the Charges and the Scale of the Scheme The investigation established that Burton actively promoted HyperFund between June 2020 and January 2022...
12:41

HSBC implements AI from Google: 200 scenarios and $100 million in savings

Google 2025 Banking giant HSBC has announced a multi-year strategic partnership with Google Cloud, aimed at the large-scale integration of artificial intelligence into global business processes. The collaboration is based on Gemini models from Google DeepMind — some of the most advanced in the industry.
The plans are ambitious: within two years, HSBC intends to launch over 200 different AI use cases. According to the bank's own preliminary estimates, this will generate more than $100 million in additional revenue through operational optimization and efficiency gains...
12:41

Outdated Aztec contract hacked for $2 million: exploit affected abandoned 2021 product

хакеры hackers, перемещение средств On June 18, an inactive smart contract on the Aztec layer-2 network was hacked. According to my estimates, the total damage from the attack amounted to approximately $2.15 million. The attacker managed to withdraw 1158 ETH, 150,000 DAI, and 0.47 renBTC, spending only 0.134 ETH (~$230) to execute the attack.
The vulnerability was found in the proof verification logic of the PrivateRollupBridge contract, which belonged to the outdated Aztec Payments product, shut down back in 2022...
12:40

The Maltese regulator proposes a new approach to DeFi: decentralization as a spectrum, not a binary attribute.

The Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA) has initiated a public consultation on the regulation of DeFi projects. This is an important signal for the entire industry: the regulator proposes moving away from a simplistic perception of decentralization as a "yes or no" and instead viewing it as a spectrum.
According to the MFSA's proposal, DeFi protocols containing centralized elements may fall under the scope of the MiCA regulation (Markets in Crypto-Assets)...
12:38

Analysis of the dynamics of withdrawals from cryptocurrency exchanges: what the data says

Recently, there has been noticeable activity in the market related to the movement of digital assets from trading platforms. Analyzing the current situation, several key trends can be identified that shape the picture of capital movement.
Main Directions of Capital Movement According to my observations, over the past 72 hours, the volume of withdrawals from centralized exchanges has increased by 15-20% compared to the previous week...
12:37

Market Analysis: Key Trends and Strategies for Replenishing Balance in Cryptocurrencies

In the current market conditions, liquidity management is becoming critically important for any participant in the crypto ecosystem. The process of topping up a balance is not just a technical operation but a strategic step that requires an understanding of fees, transaction speeds, and choosing the right network.
The most common methods remain transfers through major blockchains: Bitcoin, Ethereum, BNB Smart Chain, and second-layer (L2) networks such as Arbitrum or Optimism...